Yes! You can still build lean mass and reduce body fat when you consume alcohol.
There is no reason to give up on your health goals just because you have had an alcoholic drink. Hamburgers, ice cream, and any other typical “junk food” can be worked into your ketogenic diet.
Life is for living- everything in moderation.
There are 3 foods I emphasis for everyone to let go of permanently- no flexibility. Gluten, dairy milk and genetically modified organisms (GMO) foods. Those 3 foods are known to induce auto immune disease and increase risk of cancers respectively. It is not about simply putting on weight and developing heart disease when we are consuming gluten, dairy milk and GMO foods. The entire human genome- quite literally, is affected with the consumption of GMO foods.
To understand why the global fuss when it comes to Genetically Modified Foods, and why there are rally’s, protests and class actions involving the production of GMO foods, there is an informative documentary named Genetic Roulette I recommend you just watch once. (please)
Ok, so how do we work in that Sunday afternoon beer, or any kind of occasional treat- it really is easy.
By now, most of us know we have 3 macro nutrients- protein, fats and carbohydrates. Then there is alcohol, alcohol is technically the 4th macro nutrient that nobody bothers to talk about, providing your body with 7 calories per gram.
- Fats provide 9 calories per gram
- Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram
- Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram
- Protein provides 4 calories per gram
Because alcohol is not needed for survival, it is typically not mentioned alongside our protein fat and carbohydrate macro nutrients, alcohol has value as energy, but no nutritional value such as vitamins minerals or fibre, it is very similar to consuming empty carbs such as lollies and table sugar.
You can have it all- you can fit those “junk foods” you love to indulge in from time to time into your diet and still get results.
This same calculation applies to any food, your macros are the key to your success. If you are following a ketogenic diet, then you will be aware of your macro calculations. Sticking with those daily macros, ensures you get your goal results. Ok, yes, on the days you include that glass of wine, ice cream (coconut id hope) or pizza (gluten free of course) 😉 your day may be a little less nutrient dense, but your long-term goals are not dashed if your macros are still in tact. Understanding your macros like this will help you to feel even more in control of your self and your results. If goals are not achieved as quickly as hoped you will be able easily see why.
Dont give up the foods you love- life is about balance. Understand how to fit these foods into your macros with this easy calculation below.
How to fit alcohol into macros?
You can either count your alcohol as a substitute for carbohydrates, fat or both, depending on what your total macro count or the day is.
Take the calorie content of your drink and divide it by 4 if you are going to count it toward your carbohydrates, and divide it by 9 if you are going to count it towards your fat.
For example, a 150ml glass of white wine has 122 calories.
150 / 4 = 37.5 grams of carbohydrate
150 / 9 = 16.6 grams of fats
Doing this will keep you on the right energy balance, you may miss out on the nutritional health benefits nutrient dense fats and some carbohydrates have to offer, but at least you wont compromise your body composition and long term goals.
150 ml
Red wine 127 calories
White wine 122 calories
30ml-
Vodka 80 proof 65 calories
Gin 74 calories
Whiskey 71 calories
Rum 65 calories
Baileys 98 calories
Frangelico 70 calories
Peroni 330 ml 139 calories
Hahn Super dry 330 ml 99 calories
